Historic Medicare payment policy changes an opportunity for success

An AMA Viewpoints post by AMA President Steven J. Stack, MD Proposed rules issued Wednesday by the Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) represent the most sweeping change in physician payment policy in the last 25 years. Implementing MACRA With overwhelming physician support—including from the AMA and the majority of other medical associations—Congress passed the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) one year ago. This law repealed the threat of annual payment cuts from the sustainable growth rate formula, and it now offers physicians treating Medicare patients a choice of two payment pathways going forward: Participating in the modified fee-for-service model, which will be subject to a revised set of pay-for-performance metrics under the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Meeting requirements for alternative payment models (APM), which offer opportunities to improve care delivery while having more payment flexibility The rulemaking for this law also provides an opportunity to reduce the physician burden associated with the current Medicare reporting requirements for electronic health record meaningful use and clinical quality. The AMA has been vigorously pressing for needed changes to these programs. While we have not yet digested the entire 962-page regulation, it appears on our initial review that CMS Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt and his senior management team have listened. Providing physician feedback We ...
Source: AMA Wire - Category: Journals (General) Authors: Source Type: news